Marc Gasol needed about two weeks during the preseason to gain an intuitive sense of where Zach Randolph would be on the court at any particular moment. Randolph, according to Gasol, has a knack for being in the right place at the right time.

Opponent: Dallas

When, where: 2 p.m. Saturday, American Airlines Center

TV, radio: Fox Sports Tennessee, WRBO-FM (103.5)

So when Gasol posted up for an entry pass in the first quarter against the Indiana Pacers last Friday, he knew Randolph would be open on the opposite block. The result was a no-look bounce pass for two of the easiest points of Randolph's short tenure with the Grizzlies.

And when Gasol found himself with the ball at the high post late in the third quarter, he squared to the basket and searched once again for his favorite target. He saw that Randolph was being fronted in the paint by Pacers forward Tyler Hansbrough, who stood about as much chance of stopping Randolph as a piece of Saran Wrap. Gasol lobbed the ball over Hansbrough and into Randolph's mitt-sized hands for another bucket.

The surprise was that this was nothing new. Voted co-captains by their teammates, Randolph and Gasol — unheralded but undaunted — have emerged as one of the most dynamic post tandems in the NBA. The simple truth is that they have made each other better, and the Grizzlies are flourishing as an inside-out team.

"They just vibed so quickly," assistant coach Johnny Davis said. "Neither one of those players is selfish by nature. They enjoy the other's success. There are no jealousies, there are no hidden agendas. They just both enjoy the beauty of the game."

They also have enjoyed winning. And if there are differences in their backgrounds, then they share remarkable similarities. Both are versatile big men who can post up, pass, rebound and shoot. Both joined the team with much to prove — Randolph as a reclamation project, Gasol as just a project. And both are here as a result of the deal that sent Pau Gasol, Marc's older brother, to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2008.

Marc Gasol, acquired from the Lakers, was considered an afterthought in the trade, which was lampooned by much of the Western world. It no longer seems so lopsided. In his second season, he has established himself as one of the top centers in the Western Conference, averaging 14.8 points and 9.9 rebounds.

"He's got a lot of skills," Randolph said. "We both complement each other really well."

Randolph, a power forward always considered to possess All-Star caliber talent, was picked up by the Grizzlies over the offseason in large part because of the cap space available from Pau's departure. He also was available because few other teams were interested in him. But he lost about 15 pounds over the summer, then went about shedding his reputation for finding trouble away from the court. He has been a solid citizen with the Grizzlies and a force on the interior.

"I always liked his game," Gasol said. "I knew he was a great scorer. But I don't think everyone knew how good of a teammate and how much of a winner he is. I give him a lot of credit for that. And you have to play with him to know how well he passes. Maybe they're not the fancy passes, but he's effective."

"What else do you want me to say?" coach Lionel Hollins said. "The guy has been great. He's rebounded, he's scored and he's even defended."

For the first time in franchise history, the Grizzlies have made it their modus operandi to pound the ball inside. That was not the case at the beginning of the season, when Memphis — slowed by the Allen Iverson experiment, certainly — labored to a 1-8 start. It soon became clear that things would open up for the team's perimeter players if they first involved Gasol and Randolph. Each ranks among the league leaders in rebounding and field-goal percentage.

"They are gifted in the sense that they can both post up, so you can take advantage of whoever the weak defender is on the opposing team," Davis said. "And you have to honor them on the outside, because both have jump shots that they make consistently."

Each showed up for training camp in the best physical condition of his life. Gasol spent his summer working out in Barcelona, where he ran up mountains.

"It's not as crazy as it sounds," he said. "In Spain, a lot of people do it."

Asked how different he feels this season, Gasol said: "A lot different. But it's not just the physical part, it's the winning part. The atmosphere on the team is different. You can see it with the city, the franchise, teammates, coaching staff — everything's a little different."

Going Inside

The Grizzlies have grown to rely on Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, and this has never been more evident than during the team's current three-game winning streak. During those wins, Gasol and Randolph have combined to account for 43.6 percent of the team's scoring and an astounding 62 percent of its rebounding. In two previous losses, they combined for just 29.2 percent of the team's scoring and 39.7 percent of its rebounding.